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(No Model.)

E. S. CRAM.

CAR GOUPLING. No. 250,715. Patented Deo. 13,1881.

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v qUnire STATES AfrnNr irren.

ELISHA S. CRAM, OF LAGONIA, NEW HAMPSHIRE, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO VILLIAM F. CHASE, OF SAME PLACE.

CARfCOUPLlNG.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 250,715, dated December 13, 1881. Application filed March 30,1881. (No model.)

declare that the following is a full and exact description thereof', reference being had to the accompanying drawings, making part of this specification* 1o Figure l being a front view of my improved ear-coupling and draw-bar as applied to a platform-car; Fig. 2, a central longitudinal vertical section of the same; Fig. 3, a transverse vertical section in a plane indicated by the line x x,Fig. 2; Fig. 4, a horizontal section in a plane indicated by the line y y, Fig. 2; Fig. 5, view of a part detached.

Like letters designate corresponding` pai-ts in all the figures.

zo Let A represent the front sill of a car-platform, B B G C, sills ruiming lengthwise ofthe car and framed into the front sill, D, the iioor of the platform; E, the draw-bar, and G the bumper-head thereof. i

First, in the construction of the draw-bar,

two guide-bars or draw-bar woods,77 H H, being secured to the under sides of the two middle sills, B B, ofthe platform, which are placed at the proper distance apart for the purpose,

3o are lthe main guides and supports of the draw bar E. These woods being subjected to much strain iILpulling by the draw-bars in the train, I secure them to the sills B B, not merely by strong bolts a a., but l form the joining surfaces ofthe same and of the sills with an improved joint to increase the strength thereof. I form` in the upper edge of each wood notches with abrupt shoulders b b at the rear terminations, as shown in Fig. 5, to fit corresponding re- 4o verseror counterpart notches, c c, with abrupt shoulders at the forward terminations in the under sidesot' the sills. The draw-bar slides between these woods, its front end being supported by a suitable iron strap or stirrup, d,

Fig. 2, extending across beneath itand secured to the under side of the front sill, A. The rear end of the draw-bar is supported by two cross bars or blocks, l J, secured thereto, and having at their ends tenons or projections ff,

5o which extend into and slide in horizontal mortises g g in the respective draw-bar woods. The front block, l, is situated close to the rear end of the draw-bar, and the rear block, J, is situated several inches farther back, with a space between to contain an india rubber block or equivalent spring, K. The blocks and sprin are held in an iron yoke or doubled strap, L, extending around the top,vrear cud, and bottom ot the block-space, and having its front ends secured to the rear end of the drawbar. rEhe mortises g g limit the extent of the movement of the blocks I J forward and backward, except toward each other by the compression of the intermediate spring, K, which is compressed by the front block, I, when the draw-bar is pushed backward, and by the rear block, J, when the draw-bar is drawn forward. Thus this single spring acts in place of two springs, and the whole construction is simple, cheap, and strong. Tie mortises gg ma-y be lined at the ends, and the wood around the edges thereof by protecting-plates h h, of iron, portions of which are bent into the niortises at the ends thereof. The rear end of the drawbar woods bear against a cross sill or bar, i, under the platform.

The mouth of the bumper-head G is specially formed for automatically receiving the coupling-links M, when held by the vcoupling ot' the adjacent .car in a nearly horizontal posi- A tion, even though the cars may differ considerably in height. The upper surface or roof, k, has a less inclination from'the horizontal line than the lower surface or Hoor, c, as shown, whiletogethertheyhave sufficient togive all the requisite flare for the purpose. As the link is held in a horizontal position with my coupling by a counterbalancing spring-pressure, the liftingof the free end of the link requires very little force, and therefore the less the inclination necessary for the surface of the bumpermouth as the link strikes the same in coupling the cars, whereas when the coupling-link strikes the upper surface of the bumper-mouth it has to overcome the increased. resistance of the balancing-sprin g, and cannot have sol great an inclination as the lower surface. The throat mof the bumper-head also is made about twice the thickness vertically of the coupling-link,

rendered practicable by my improved coup- IOO ling, and thereby increasing the range of the links position in which it can be caught and coupled.

With my present improved coupling I ernploy a sliding block, N, in the draw-bar, concave horizontally at its forward end, which also is inclined downward and backward from its upper edge, the said sliding block being pushed forward by a spring, O, substantially in the same way as in my Patent No. 89,202, dated April 20, 1869, and also a coupling-pin, I, with an enlarged part, a, above the pin proper, p, also forced down by a spring, Q, substantially as in the said Letters Patent. In my present invention, also, I form a pinseat, fr, on the front end of the sliding block N, somewhat lower than the remainder ofthe uppersurface thereof, thus producingan abrupt shoulder, s, at the rear of this seat; and the up' per end 0f the coupling-pin, or of its enlarged part a, is held by a stop, t, placed across the socket or guideway of the coupling-pin in the draw-head, to limitgthe u pward movement of the said coupling-pin, and this upward limit of the movement is such that it will just permit the lower end of the coupling-pin to rise and rest upon the pin-seat of the sliding block and allow the said block to spring forward till its shoulder s reaches the coupling-pin, and no farther, all as shown by full lines in Fig.2. Thus the coupling-pin may be raised without care, and thus both uucouple the two carsand set thecoupling-pin in its raised position,ready to couple automatically .whenever the coupling-link of a ear is driven into the draw-head and made to push back the sliding block. At that, moment the coupling-pin descends, impelled by its own weight and by the spring Q, and holdsthe coupling-link, as shown by dotted lines in Fig. 2. The inclined end of the sliding block, together with the 'force ot' the spring behind it, and the coupling-pin in the couplinglink, holds the said coupling-link in a nearly horizontal position, even when the other end thereof is detached from a car, so that it does not require raising by hand when two cars are brought together for coupling.

The spring Q, may be a flat spring, as shown, and is held in the top of the draw-bar and embraces the coupling-pin by a groove, u, in the periphery thereof, thus not requiring any additional vertical room more than the couplingpin itself requires. It is also concealed and shielded beneath the platform of the car. An opening at the back of the coupling-pin socket enables the spring to reach the same, and allows sufficient play for its up-and-down movement.

The coupling-pin may bc raised directly7 by hand, taking hold of a chain, fu, or cord, conmeeting-rod, or other equivalent, while the attendant is standing on the car-platform. It is also conveniently operated while the attendant is standing on the ground at either side of the car by the means shown in the drawings. The said chain or connecting-rod o is attached at its upper end to an arm, w, projecting from a rock-shaft,R, which extends alongthewidth ofthe end of the platform, and is held in suitable bearings thereon. A lever or handle, S, is secured to this rock-shalt at each end, by depressing either of which the coupling-pin is raised.

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. The draw-bar woods or timbers H H, attached to parallel platform-sills above the same by notched `joints, and provided with mortises g g, having linings It h,in which play the follower-blocks or cross-bars I J, substantially as and for the purpose herein specified.

2. The combination of the sliding block N, provided with the depressed or shouldered pinseat r on its front end, and the coupling-pin I, With its enlarged part n, and top stop, t, substantially as and for the purpose herein specified.

3.The combination of the sliding block N, coupling-pin P, spring Q, rock-shaft R, with its connecting-chain c, and the side levers, S, substantially as and for the purpose herein specified.

The foregoing specification signed by me.

ELISHA S. CRAM.

Witnesses: l

EaAs'rUs l. JEWELL, JOHN F. COURTNEY. 

